The Douglas County Health Department had made COVID-19 vaccine appointments for about 4,500 elderly residents by midafternoon Friday, just a few hours after activating its registration website.
That means the county is well on its way toward signing up the estimated 12,000 residents 80 and older who live outside long-term care facilities, said Phil Rooney, a Health Department spokesman. Residents of such facilities are receiving their shots through a separate federal pharmacy program.
Omaha’s Total Wellness is powering the registration system. Owner Alan Kohll developed the system.
The first vaccination clinics will open next week for those born in 1941 or earlier. The clinics will be held at four locations across the county. The Health Department is coordinating the sites in partnership with Nebraska Medicine, CHI Health, Creighton University and Methodist Health System.
The Health Department is providing 700 doses per day per site. Currently, the department is booking appointments about three weeks out. Some of those will be second-dose clinics.
Those seeking to make an appointment should visit the registration site at www.douglascountyhealth.com/ 109-covid-19/808- covid-19-community-vaccination-clinics.
The locations and times for the clinics:
Christ Community Church, 404 S. 108th St., 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays and Wednesdays beginning Tuesday.
Immanuel Medical Center, 72nd Street and Sorensen Parkway, in the rear of the hospital, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesdays and Fridays beginning Wednesday.
The Nebraska Medicine Testing and Vaccination Clinic, 144th Street and Millard Avenue, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursdays and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sundays beginning Thursday.
Creighton University’s Rasmussen Center, 702 N. 17th St., 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays beginning Feb. 6.
Those who previously signed up through the Health Department’s notification system should have received a call or email from the department letting them know that vaccine is available. Anyone who did not receive an email can find the same information on the department’s website.
County residents 80 and older who do not have computer access can call the Health Department’s information line at 402-444-3400 to make an appointment.
Those seeking shots must have an appointment. No drop-ins will be allowed.
The Health Department also is providing vaccine on a limited basis to OneWorld Community Health Center, Charles Drew Health Center in North Omaha and the Ponca Tribe’s Fred LeRoy Health and Wellness Center in South Omaha. Patients and community members who fit the proper age category should call those centers for appointments.
In addition, Kohll’s Rx will provide vaccine shots to people in independent living and retirement communities. A Nebraska Methodist College van will serve vulnerable populations. The Health Department also will test a vaccination program with two Hy-Vee pharmacies.
Andrea Skolkin, OneWorld’s CEO, said it’s critical that everyone gets the vaccine. But she stressed it’s important that the health centers in North Omaha and South Omaha get their own allotments because they are serving communities of color hard hit by the virus.
The virus’s impacts in those communities have come because many residents often cannot work from home and live in multigenerational households where they risk spreading the virus to vulnerable elders if they become ill.
Skolkin said she thinks OneWorld’s South Omaha clinic will be allotted 200 doses next week and more later. The health center also has clinics in Bellevue and Plattsmouth. Those clinics will receive separate allotments through the Sarpy/Cass Health Department.
The health centers already have begun contacting patients in the 80-and-over group to get them scheduled, Skolkin said.
David Kohll of Kohll’s Rx said he already has been working with local health departments to vaccinate people with developmental disabilities.
His staff began vaccinating elders in independent living centers in Sarpy County this week and will begin to visit those in Douglas County next week.
This week, Douglas County health officials have been working to complete vaccinations of health care workers in the first phase of the vaccination plan.
Among them are veterinarians, including veterinarians and veterinary technicians from the Henry Doorly Zoo.
Rooney said veterinarians are included because it’s important to prevent the commingling of human and animal viruses, which could result in additional variants of the disease.
Our best Omaha staff photos of January 2021
An empty seating area is seen through a window at Mr. Toad's Pub in the Old Market.
Snow blankets a neighborhood near Standing Bear Lake in Omaha on Friday, January 29, 2021.
'GBR', for 'Go Big Red', is written with footprints in the snow near Standing Bear Lake in Omaha on Friday, January 29, 2021.
Snow covers cars and Blondo Street east of Northwest Radial Highway on Tuesday, January 26, 2021. The Omaha area recorded almost 12 inches of snow the day before.
Steve Snow (yes, really) uses a tractor to clear his driveway in Bennington on Tuesday. The Omaha area recorded almost a foot of snow the day before, which lefts roads slick in many spots.
Juan Lentz walks north on 42nd Street towards Leavenworth Street during a winter storm warning on Monday, January 25, 2021. Lentz estimated he had gone about four miles on his five mile walk. He normally takes the bus, but the winter weather canceled bus service, so he had to walk home.
Juan Lentz pauses while walking north on 42nd Street towards Leavenworth Street during a winter storm warning on Monday, January 25, 2021. Lentz estimated he had gone about four miles on his five mile walk. He normally takes the bus, but the winter weather canceled bus service, so he had to walk home.
Rob Baum, 68, takes a break from shoveling the sidewalk near his home along Davenport Street in Omaha on Monday, January 25, 2021. At least a half-foot of snow is expected in the Omaha-metro on Monday.
Eliza Rijal, 10, her brother Aryan Rijal, 11, and their neighbor Jordan Rine, 7, run in the snow by their homes near 170th and Fort Streets in Omaha on Monday, January 25, 2021. Forecasters were expecting 10-12 inches of snow in the Omaha-metro area on Monday.
Two people hold hands while walking south on Madison Street toward 27th Avenue in Bellevue during a winter storm warning on Monday, January 25, 2021.
Diesel, a 3-year-old tiger born in Moscow, eats raw ground beef in his enclosure at the Simmons Safari Park in Ashland.
Billy Bluejay reacts to a call against Creighton.
Omaha's McKenna Ruch spikes the ball past the fingertips of Creighton's Jaela Zimmerman in the UNO vs. Creighton volleyball game at the Sokol Arena at Creighton University in Omaha on Friday, January 22, 2021. The Jays won the match in three sets.
Rose Pokorny and her son Ryan Pokorny look through an old plat map book at their business, RK’s Bar and Grill, in Malmo on Friday.
Sydney Sehi’s plant collection has grown to between 75 and 100 since she and husband Sam recently purchased a house in Benson. At top left, a, Monstera deliciosa albo, one of Sehi’s specialty plants. At right, visitors can brew up the perfect mix for their plant at Nodest in downtown Omaha.
Mike West looks over orders at Dirty Birds inside The Switch Beer and Food Hall in Omaha. The pickled fried chicken place is doing brisk business its first month of operation.
Players gather UNO goalie Isaiah Saville before the start of their game at Baxter Arena on Wednesday, December 09, 2021. Saville has "BLM" and a quote from Martin Luther King Jr. on his helmet.
Thomas Wilkins conducts the Omaha Symphony in a performance at the Holland Performing Arts Center in Omaha on Saturday, Jan. 16, 2021.
UNO's Claire Killianm left, tries to keep South Dakota State's Regan Nesheim from passing the ball late in the game at Baxter Arena on Friday, January 15, 2021.
A Nebraska license plate is seen covered in snow during a blizzard in Omaha on Friday, January 15, 2021.
Snow falls in front of a mural near 60th Street and Ames Avenue as a blizzard whips through Omaha on Friday, January 15, 2021.
Jon Jacobs cleans the snow off of his car in downtown Omaha as residents woke up to a blizzard warning on Friday, January 15, 2021. Jacobs works downtown.
About 50 Creighton students were moved into other campus housing after a ricin scare at Davis Square apartments late Thursday.
Jody Weible, a former member of Mead’s Village Planning Board, said she has developed a persistent cough because she lives near the town’s AltEn Ethanol plant. “You can’t open your windows; you can’t hang your clothes on the line,” she said.
Creighton's Shereef Mitchell takes off on a fast break as St. John's Vince Cole, left, and Greg Williams Jr. pursue in the first half on Saturday, January 09, 2021.
Creighton's Alex O'Connell gets hit by a ball as St. John's Rasheem Dunn falls over while trying to grab the loose ball in the first half on Saturday, January 09, 2021.
Creighton's Ryan Kalkbrenner dunks the ball against Seton Hall's Ike Obiagu.
Seniors Aysha Ridley and Quintin Idt work during a math readiness class at Gretna High School. The class is in partnership with Metro Community College.
Deer walk through snow at Zorinsky Lake in Omaha on Thursday, January 07, 2021.
A snowball is thrown at a counterprotester driving by on K Street on the north side of the Nebraska State Capitol on Wednesday. Protesters had gathered to protest the certification of President-elect Joe Biden's victory.
Fog begins to lift as the downtown Omaha skyline starts to appear as viewed from the Lincoln Monument in Council Bluffs, Iowa on Monday, January 04, 2021.
The front room at the Hepburn home. Megan loves using color; she thinks it’s more fun for daughters Harriet and Georgie. She painted the flower picture.
The Holiday Lights Festival’s New Year’s Eve Fireworks Spectacular fireworks show filled the sky over downtown Omaha Thursday.
julie.anderson@owh.com, 402-444-1066, twitter.com/julieanderson41
Julie Anderson
Julie Anderson is a medical reporter for The World-Herald. She covers health care and health care trends and developments, including hospitals, research and treatments. Follow her on Twitter @JulieAnderson41. Phone: 402-444-1066.
